>Nicholas Michael Halim at 08:53, 2 May 2021

2021-05-02T08:53:03Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox book
| name = Conversations with Mani Ratnam
| image = Conversations with Mani Ratnam.jpg
| caption =
| author = [[Baradwaj Rangan]]
| country = India
| language = English
| series =
| release_number =
| subject = [[Mani Ratnam]]
| genre = Biography
| set_in =
| publisher = [[Penguin Books]]
| published = 3 December 2012
| media_type = Print
| pages = 305<ref name="Mint">{{Cite news |last=Sharma |first=Sanjukta |date=20 October 2012 |title=Lounge Loves |work=[[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]] |url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/R1nmylvlX6eTIyWcKmwbAN/Lounge-Loves--Conversations-with-Mani-Ratnam.html |url-status=live |access-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418001841/http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/R1nmylvlX6eTIyWcKmwbAN/Lounge-Loves--Conversations-with-Mani-Ratnam.html |archive-date=18 April 2017}}</ref>
| isbn = 978-81-84756-90-6
| isbn_note =
| oclc =
| dewey =
| congress =
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
| notes =
| exclude_cover =
}}
'''''Conversations with Mani Ratnam''''' is a 2012 Indian biographical book by the film critic and author [[Baradwaj Rangan]], focusing on the career of the Tamil filmmaker [[Mani Ratnam]]. The book contains conversations between Rangan and Ratnam, discussing the latter's career as a director, producer, and screenwriter. It was published on 3 December 2012 by [[Penguin Books]] and received critical acclaim.

== Release ==
''Conversations with Mani Ratnam'' was announced in October 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 October 2012 |title=Get ready for Conversations with Mani Ratnam |url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news-1/oct-12-02/mani-ratnam-baradwaj-rangan-12-10-12.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630111040/http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news-1/oct-12-02/mani-ratnam-baradwaj-rangan-12-10-12.html |archive-date=30 June 2017 |access-date=2 May 2021 |website=Behindwoods}}</ref> The book was subsequently released at Hilton Chennai, [[Chennai]] on 3 December that year by [[Penguin Books]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rangan |first=Baradwaj |author-link=Baradwaj Rangan |date=27 November 2012 |title=The launch |work=Baradwaj Rangan |url=https://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2012/11/27/the-launch/ |url-status=live |access-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204022202/https://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2012/11/27/the-launch/ |archive-date=4 December 2020}}</ref> An edition in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] was released in December 2013 under the title of ''Mani Ratnam Padaipukkal: Or Uraiyaadal'' ({{trans|''Mani Ratnam's Work: A Conversation''}}), with Badri Seshadri of Kizhakku Pathippagam publishing it and Aravind Satchidanandam working as the translator.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rangan |first=Baradwaj |date=14 December 2013 |title=The Tamil edition… |url=https://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2013/12/14/the-tamil-edition/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204023742/https://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2013/12/14/the-tamil-edition/ |archive-date=4 December 2020 |access-date=2 May 2021 |website=Baradwaj Rangan}}</ref>

== Critical reception ==
''Conversations with Mani Ratnam'' got positive reviews from critics. Writing for ''[[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]]'' newspaper, Sanjukta Sharma stated that the book has proved that a book with interview format "work", describing it as an "essential read for film lovers".<ref name="Mint" /> Sandhya Rao of ''[[Business Line]]'' wrote, "The book sparkles because we have an insightful film critic who can write, and an introspective film-maker who is articulate ... In a sense, the book even works as a primer for those seriously into films."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rao |first=Sandhya |date=25 October 2012 |title=The man who made Nayakan |work=[[Business Line]] |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/The-man-who-made-Nayakan/article20519251.ece |url-status=live |access-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213222411/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/The-man-who-made-Nayakan/article20519251.ece |archive-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> ''[[India Today]]''{{'s}} Kaveree Bamzai said the book had changed her perception of how a book of "conversations with famous people tend to be straightjacketed by too much respectfulness on the part of the interviewer and barely concealed boredom on the part of the interviewed."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bamzai |first=Kaveree |date=12 November 2012 |title=Art of the Impossible |work=[[India Today]] |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20121112-book-review-conversations-with-mani-ratnam-by-baradwaj-rangan-760417-1999-11-30 |url-status=live |access-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502082120/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20121112-book-review-conversations-with-mani-ratnam-by-baradwaj-rangan-760417-1999-11-30 |archive-date=2 May 2021}}</ref> [[K. Hariharan (director)|K. Hariharan]] from ''[[The Hindu]]'' singled out the "Iruvar" chapters, which he thought was the best one from the book.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hariharan |first=K. |author-link=K. Hariharan (director) |date=5 November 2012 |title=At last, Mani Ratnam talkies! |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/at-last-mani-ratnam-talkies/article4068023.ece |url-status=live |access-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502082120/https://www.thehindu.com/books/at-last-mani-ratnam-talkies/article4068023.ece |archive-date=2 May 2021}}</ref>

Partha Basu, in her review for ''[[The Telegraph (Kolkata)|The Telegraph]]'', observed: "Comfortably weighty because of the kind of paper used, it has a winning dust-jacket, an unusual double-column page lay-out, a host of photographs and film stills, and high-quality formatting. The total effect is comparable with the best in the business."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Basu |first=Partha |date=9 November 2012 |title=The auteur and his aesthetics |work=[[The Telegraph (Kolkata)|The Telegraph]] |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1121109/jsp/opinion/story_16170079.jsp |url-status=dead |access-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130317180313/https://www.telegraphindia.com/1121109/jsp/opinion/story_16170079.jsp |archive-date=17 March 2013}}</ref> [[Deepa Gahlot]] felt that "Rangan hits on a tone between fan and critic".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gahlot |first=Deepa |author-link=Deepa Gahlot |date=10 November 2012 |title=Review: Conversations with Mani Ratnam |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/review-conversations-with-mani-ratnam/story-eqt3qd5Nrp4m65zyqfUMTI.html |url-status=live |access-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502082131/https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/review-conversations-with-mani-ratnam/story-eqt3qd5Nrp4m65zyqfUMTI.html |archive-date=2 May 2021}}</ref> In a review carried by the news magazine ''[[Tehelka]]'', Arun Mani called it "a sometimes contentious, always fascinating pow-wow between critic and filmmaker".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Mani |first=Arun |date=24 November 2012 |title=Talking Pictures |url=http://tehelka.com/story_main54.asp?filename=hub241112book.asp |url-status=dead |volume=9 |issue=47 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119052241/http://tehelka.com/story_main54.asp?filename=hub241112book.asp |archive-date=19 November 2012 |access-date=2 May 2021 |work=[[Tehelka]]}}</ref> Renuka Bisht from ''[[The Financial Express (India)|The Financial Express]]'' termed to the book as "satisfying",<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bisht |first=Renuka |date=26 November 2012 |title=Decoding the magic of Mani |work=[[The Financial Express (India)|The Financial Express]] |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/archive/decoding-the-magic-of-mani/1035852/ |url-status=live |access-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502082120/https://www.financialexpress.com/archive/decoding-the-magic-of-mani/1035852/ |archive-date=2 May 2021}}</ref> but Madhavankutty Pillai from ''[[Open (Indian magazine)|Open]]'' saw that, after the second half, the book got "boring and academic".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pillai |first=Madhavankutty |date=30 November 2012 |title=A Director’s Mind |work=[[Open (Indian magazine)|Open]] |url=https://openthemagazine.com/lounge/books/a-directors-mind/ |url-status=live |access-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502082128/https://openthemagazine.com/lounge/books/a-directors-mind/ |archive-date=2 May 2021}}</ref> [[Naman Ramachandran]] concluded, "The questions make for as much delightful reading as Ratnam’s answers, given that they are incredibly informed and analytical. When Rangan dives in and throws in the occasional bouncer, Ratnam is more than equal to the challenge, choosing either to dead bat it or knock it out of the park."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |author-link=Naman Ramachandran |date=17 December 2012 |title=Wonder of Madras Talkies |work=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]] |url=https://magazine.outlookindia.com/story/wonder-of-madras-talkies/283228 |url-status=live |access-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225225053/https://magazine.outlookindia.com/story/wonder-of-madras-talkies/283228 |archive-date=25 February 2021}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:2012 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Indian biographies]]
[[Category:Indian non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Penguin Books books]]

Conversations with Mani Ratnam - Revision history

>Nicholas Michael Halim at 08:53, 2 May 2021